Mahler Symphony no. 9

[richardfinegold]

I don’t have a favorite, as per RB’s remarks, it’s a work that allows for many different approaches. I learned the work from a recording by Karel Ancerl and the Czech PO and I still find that is as competitive as any. The latest remastering in the ‘ Ancerl Gold’ Supraphon reissue series opens up the soundstage nicely, and I really enjoy the Orchestral Sound, pre dating the homogeneity of the generations to follow

[kea]

Back when I was listening to a bunch of Mahler I'd go through a few recordings of each symphony with the score, or at least a few minutes of several recordings, and then pick one and keep it—and generally haven't looked for alternatives since then. The Mahler 9 that I felt captured what the score suggested most effectively was Václav Neumann & the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. But I am a Gewandhausorchester stan (as the kids say) so one's mileage may vary there.

I like all of Maderna's recordings that I've heard but don't know this one.

[BBMmk2]

That's a very tough question and I can't say. And it changes from month to month.

Recently I've really enjoyed Rattle's BPO from a few year's ago. Will always love HvK's two recordings and of course Maderna. Abbado hits the spot CSO & BPO both. Place in my heart for Glorious John's EMI (pretty intense, on reflection).

Like many forumites I'm sure, I've attended more M9s than I could shake a stick at. Jertzy Unspellable and the LSO about twelve years ago, Haitink a few years before that and Gergiev circa 2008 stick out .....

P.S. "Haitgink" is fabulous!

My typos are few and far between these days!

I might just put Abbado's Berliner recording on later. At the moment I have Brahms on with isabelle Faust etc.

[Richard Barrett]

My first Mahler 9 was the one in the DG Kubelík box. His Mahler recordings seem to have fallen somewhat into oblivion these days but there are still very few recordings that bring out the luminous colours of Mahler's orchestration as well as he did with the Bavarian radio orchestra, and his 9th is no exception I think. It doesn't have its heart on its sleeve like some interpretations do, but a less obviously subjective approach is (bearing in mind the comments I made earlier) one of the possibilities, and one which emphasises aspects of the music that might get submerged in a more overtly emotional reading. Having said that I haven't listened to it for some time. Actually come to think of it I haven't listened to the whole work for some time; I remember a while ago listening to nothing else for maybe a week, which left me somewhat shell-shocked.

[richardfinegold]

My first Mahler 9 was the one in the DG Kubelík box. His Mahler recordings seem to have fallen somewhat into oblivion these days but there are still very few recordings that bring out the luminous colours of Mahler's orchestration as well as he did with the Bavarian radio orchestra, and his 9th is no exception I think. It doesn't have its heart on its sleeve like some interpretations do, but a less obviously subjective approach is (bearing in mind the comments I made earlier) one of the possibilities, and one which emphasises aspects of the music that might get submerged in a more overtly emotional reading. Having said that I haven't listened to it for some time. Actually come to think of it I haven't listened to the whole work for some time; I remember a while ago listening to nothing else for maybe a week, which left me somewhat shell-shocked.

I had that Kubelik set on lp. After I disposed of my vinyl playback system I purchased CDs of Kubelik and the Bavarians in the First and Nineth on the Audite label. It is very similar to the studio account of a few years earlier except that it sounds much better. Some have attributed that to an improvement in the Orchestra over the intervening decade although it could just be improved analog recording technique

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I had that Kubelik set on lp. After I disposed of my vinyl playback system I purchased CDs of Kubelik and the Bavarians in the First and Nineth on the Audite label. It is very similar to the studio account of a few years earlier except that it sounds much better. Some have attributed that to an improvement in the Orchestra over the intervening decade although it could just be improved analog recording technique

IIRC, those Audite recordings (from about ten years later than the DG Studio recordings) are from Live recordings - individual concerts, too, rather than edited from different events and rehearsals.

[Beef Oven!]

Playing this CD - Bernstein and the Israeli Philharmonic. I also have CDs of his NYP on Sony and BPO DG.

This is IMHO his most drawn-out and mannered recording. You get the picture just looking at the timings. The fourth movement at over 30 minutes is much longer than say, Bruno Walter and the VPO at 18 minutes 21 seconds!

[BBMmk2]

i will be playing Abbado's Chicago recording.

[HighlandDougie]

i will be playing Abbado's Chicago recording.

Err, BBM, Vienna PO, unless there is Chicago SO/Abbado recording I don't know.

[BBMmk2]

Err, BBM, Vienna PO, unless there is Chicago SO/Abbado recording I don't know.

Quite right, HD. I thought that afterwards and looked it up and there we go! I do rather like the berlin recording anyway.

[cloughie]

Playing this CD - Bernstein and the Israeli Philharmonic. I also have CDs of his NYP on Sony and BPO DG.

This is IMHO his most drawn-out and mannered recording. You get the picture just looking at the timings. The fourth movement at over 30 minutes is much longer than say, Bruno Walter and the VPO at 18 minutes 21 seconds!

You're missing the Concertgebouw DG beefie!

Bernstein
NYPO (Sony) 28'25" 15'49" 12'37" 23'09"
BPO (DG). 27'37" 15'54" 12'05" 26'11"
CAO (DG). 29'58" 17'31" 11'51" 29'43"
IPO (above). 29'27" 16'43" 12'07" 30'15"

[Beef Oven!]

You're missing the Concertgebouw DG beefie!

Bernstein
NYPO (Sony) 28'25" 15'49" 12'37" 23'09"
BPO (DG). 27'37" 15'54" 12'05" 26'11"
CAO (DG). 29'58" 17'31" 11'51" 29'43"
IPO (above). 29'27" 16'43" 12'07" 30'15"

The Concertgebouw timings are long, too.

[Beef Oven!]

Quite right, HD. I thought that afterwards and looked it up and there we go! I do rather like the berlin recording anyway.

Earlier, off the top of my head, I said CSO when it was actually the VPO. To be fair, I haven't gone to that CD in more than 15 years, possibly.

[Petrushka]

There are recordings and then there are live concerts. There is something very special about being present at a live concert performance of the Mahler 9, as one hardly dares to breathe in those final bars and I've been incredibly lucky to have found myself at performances given in the hands of some of the finest Mahler interpreters of our age: CBSO/Rattle, BPO/Abbado (twice), Philharmonia/Sinopoli, Chicago SO/Solti, LSO/Haitink (twice), VPO/Haitink and, most memorably of all, Concertgebouw/Bernstein in a Barbican concert in 1985 given just a few days after the DG recording.

The Concertgebouw/Bernstein was one of the great concerts of my life (I met LB afterwards) and Bernard Haitink and Gilbert Kaplan were in the audience, too. One listened stunned at the very highest quality of music-making and the CDs can never give this kind of experience.

Did Tennstedt ever perform the 9th? I know he recorded it but I never did come across a live performance.

Two questions about the work: What is thought about Bernstein's fanciful suggestion that the very opening depicts Mahler's faltering heartbeat?

Does Mahler quote W H Monk's tune to 'Abide with Me' in the finale? Is there any evidence that he knew the hymn, perhaps from his time in the USA?

[Alison]

Yes there were at least two live performances of Mahler 9 made around the time of the Tennstedt recording.

One of the earlier symphonies to be recorded circa 1979.

In those days you might get a Thursday evening followed by a Sunday afternoon rendition of the same concert.